Assembly apparatus



Feb. 6, 1968 N. J. MANDONAS 3,367,012

ASSEMBLY APPARATUS Filed Sept. 27, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet l l/ VE'N "T'UF?N. J I77HNDUNF-75 Feb. 6, 1968 N. J. MANDONAS 3,367,012

AS S EMBLY APPARATUS Filed Sept. 2'7, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 3 PITA. i V ELIL IQ 5% 7 United States Patent ()fi ice Patented Feb. 6, 1968 3,367,012ASSEMBLY APPARATUS Nicholas J. Mandonas, Medlord, Mass, assignor toWestern Electric Company, Incorporated, New York, N.Y., a corporation ofNew York Filed Sept. 27, 1965, Ser. No. 490,618 1 Claim. (Cl. 29-203)ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to an assemblyapparatus, and more particularly to an apparatus for assembling terminalcaps on hollow cylindrical bodies in the manufacture of coaxial cableconnectors.

This application is copending with N. J. Mandonas et al. applicationSer. No. 490,514, filed Sept. 27, 1965, W. T. Nowell application Ser.No. 490,558, filed Sept. 27, 1965, and N. I. Mandonas-E. T. Stockerapplication Ser. No. 490,619, filed Sept. 27, 1965, all filedconcurrently with and assigned to the .same assignee as thisapplication.

In the manufacture of coaxial cable connectors before this invention,the various parts comprising the connectors were assembled together andtested manually. These parts must be accurately positioned with respectto one another; thus, the manual assembly, positioning, and testing ofthe parts were tedious and time consuming. Consequently, a need arosefor automatic facilities for assembling the parts of coaxial cableconnectors accurately, quickly, and economically.

Accordingly, an object of this invention is to provide a new andimproved assembly apparatus.

Another object is to provide an apparatus for assembling terminal capson hollow cylindrical bodies.

Another object is to provide an apparatus for automatically assemblingterminal caps on hollow cylindrical bodies in the manufacture of coaxialcable connectors accurately, quickly, and economically.

With these and other objects in view, the present invention contemplatesan apparatus for feeding a terminal cap to a position above a hollowcylindrical body of a coaxial cable connector which had been advanced toa predetermined location. The body is supported while the cap is moveddownward and press-fitted into the top of the body.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent byreference to the following detailed specification and accompanyingdrawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side view of an apparatus, for assembling a terminal cap toa cylindrical body, incorporating certain principles of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a view taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1, and shows a shuttlemechanism for advancing the terminal cap to a predetermined workposition;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of a portion of the shuttle mechanism afterit has been operated to advance the terminal cap to the work position;

FIG. 4 is a view taken along line 44 of FIG. 1, and shows a device foroperating the shuttle mechanism;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of spring-biased fingers for temporarilysupporting the terminal cap in the work position;

FIG. 6 is a view of the fingers during the release of the terminal captherefrom; and

FIG. 7 is a view of the terminal cap just prior to being inserted ontothe top of the hollow body.

Referring to FIG. 7, there is shown a hollow cylindrical body 31 of acoaxial cable connector to which a terminal cap 36, having a rim 37, isto be assembled by the apparatus of this invention. Body 31 is supportedin a fixture 51 (FIG. 1) which is mounted on a carrier 67, such as anindexing chain or conveyor.

With reference to FIG. 1, the apparatus includes a main frame 53 havinga housing 54 slidably mounted thereon. Housing 54 is movable up and downon a slide 56 of frame 53 by a first linkage 57 which is pivoted about apin 58 projecting laterally from frame 53. Linkage 57 has a cam follower59 mounted on its lower end which is urged to follow the contour of afirst cam 61 by a spring 62. The upward movement of housing 54 islimited by an adjustable stop 63.

Housing 54 contains a tube 65 having a guide rod 64 concentricallymounted therein, the tube being vertically movable within the housing.The diameter of tube 66 is greater than that of cap 36, but less thanthat of body 31. Tube 66 is connected to a second linkage 68, which ispivotal about a pin 69 projecting laterally from frame 53, for movingtube 66 vertically within housing 54. Linkage 68 has a cam follower 7smounted on its lower end which is urged to follow the contour of a cam77 by a spring 74.

A platform 7 8 is located beneath and vertically aligned with tube 66,and is movable up and down by a rod 79. Rod 79 has a cam follower 81mounted on its lower end which is urged to follow the contour of a cam82 by a spring 83.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a shuttle mechanism 86 (FIG. 1) is mountedon frame 53. As best seen in FIG. 2, shuttle mechanism 86 includes acarriage 87 having a pair of rods 88 and 89 mounted between a pair oflegs 90 of carriage 87. A blade 91, having a slanted edge 92, is mountedon a block 93 which is slidable on rods 38 and 89. Also mounted on block93 is a stop member 94 located opposite blade 91. A track 96, secured toframe 53, passes just over the top of block 93 and just under blade 91.A linkage 98 is connected to block 93 and is movable by an air cylinderto operate shuttle mechanism 86.

In FIG. 1, a pair of oppositely disposed fingers 103 are pivotablymounted on housing 54. As best seen in FIG. 5, each finger 103 has anextension 104 for temporarily supporting terminal cap 36 in the workposition of the apparatus.

Operation In the operation of the apparatus of the invention, fixture 51advances connector body 31 to the work position, such that body 31 isvertically aligned between tube 66 and platform 78. Fixture 51 and body31, may be advanced by carrier 67 from station I of an assemblyapparatus disclosed in N. I. Mandonas et al. application Ser. No.490,514, filed Sept. 27, 1965. In being advanced to the work position ofthe apparatus, fixture 51 actuates a switch (not shown) for starting acycle of operations.

The switch completes a circuit (not shown) to actuate air cylinder '97(FIG. 4) which operates linkage 98 for moving block 93 of shuttlemechanism 86 in the direction of arrow 106 (FIG. 2). The movement ofblock 93 carries blade 91 such that its tip 107 moves behind leading cap36'. The slanted edge 92 of blade 91 then pushes cap 36 (FIG. 3) alongtrack 96 to the predetermined position, whereat it is held by fingers103. As best seen in FIGS. 5 and 6, extensions 104 of fingers 103support rim 37 of cap 36'. The next cap 36 (FIG. 3) is prevented frombeing advanced by the back of blade 91.

Cams 61 and 82 are rotated such that linkage 57 and rod 79 respectivelymove housing 54 downward and plat- 3, form 78 upward. During thismovement of housing 54, tube 64 moves downward with housing 54, engagesthe inner sides of fingers 103 (FIG. and spreads the fingers (FIG. 6).Guide rod 64 enters the opening in cap 36 and tube 66 moves over cap 36until it abuts rim 37 thereof.

When housing 54 reaches the end of its path of travel, cam 77 rotatessuch that linkage 68 advances tube 66 downward to press-fit cap 36 intothe top of body 31.

Thereafter, cams 61, 77 and 82 rotate to restore housing 54, tube 66,and platform 78, respectively, to their initial positions. Likewise,shuttle mechanism 86 is returned to its initial position and another cap36 is advanced along track 96 to abut stop member 94.

It is to be understood that the above-described embodiment is merelyillustrative of the principles of the invention and other embodimentsmay be devised without departing from the scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for assembling a terminal cap on a hollow cylindricalbody, comprising:

means for advancing a hollow cylindrical body in a vertical orientationto a predetermined work position,

a shuttle mechanism, rendered effective during the advancement of thebody to the work position, for feeding a terminal cap to a predeterminedlocation above the top of the body in the work position,

a pair of spring-biased fingers for receiving the cap and temporarilysupporting it in the predetermined location,

a platform movable to support the bottom of the body after it has beenadvanced to the work position,

a housing, having an opening vertically aligned with the cap when it isin the predetermined location, the opening being slightly greater thanthe outer diameter of the body,

a tube, movable within the housing, and having an opening therein with adiameter greater than that of the cap but less than that of the body,and

linkage and cam means for moving the platform to support the bottom ofthe body, for moving the hous ing downward over the cap, and for movingthe tube over the cap to release it from the fingers and to press itinto the top of the body.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,056,446 10/1962 Schmidt et a129-203 3,110,955 11/1963 Hedel 29203 3,110,956 11/1963 Fischer 292033,121,281 2/1964 Petro 29211 3,130,484 3/1964 Zdanis 29-203 3,167,7792/1965 Ahearn 29-203 3,192,615 7/1965 Halverson 29-211 THOMAS H. EAGER,Primary Examiner.

